TexMessage

Monday, September 10

Good morning, TexMessagers! Do you think record-breaking number of deportations is real?

TEXclusive

Border Patrol agents detain undocumented immigrants apprehended near the Mexican border on May 28, 2010 near McAllen, Texas. About 25 immigrants were captured in the group about one mile north of the Rio Grande River. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A Democrat breaking records for the number of illegal immigrant deportations? Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, isn’t so sure about those Obama administration claims.

Smith, chairman of House Judiciary Committee, will meet with members at 10 a.m. Wednesday to investigate whether President Barack Obama beefed up those numbers.

“It seems like President Obama is trying to trick the American people into thinking he is enforcing our immigration laws. But no amount of spin can cover up the facts,” Smith told Examiner.com. “It’s bad enough that the President has neglected to enforce our immigration laws, but it’s even worse that his Administration would distort statistics to deceive the American people.”

Members of the Department of Homeland Security have criticized Obama’s deportation policies, even going so far as suing the administration last month. Smith also wrote a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano requesting those who filed the lawsuit be protected against workplace retaliation.

Texas Watch

★ House floor action at 2 p.m., including debate of the North Texas Zebra Mussel Barrier Act of 2012 and discussion of a resolution authorizing funding to reprint “Hispanic Americans in Congress”

★ The Senate will reconvene today at 2 p.m. At 5 p.m. the Senate will have an executive session to discuss nominating Stephanie Marie Rose, of Iowa, to be a U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Iowa.